Decision Season: Minds made up, scores of voters head to the polls

On the first day they could, voters made a trip to the courthouse to cast their ballots for races ranging from president and U.S. senator to local school boards.

Local residents voted early Tuesday for different reasons — they won’t be in town, they won’t be able to make it to a vote center, they didn’t want to wait in long lines on Election Day.

But they had one goal in mind: They wanted their votes to count.

Tuesday was the first day for voters to cast ballots early for the fall election, and halfway through the day, more than 130 people had voted at the courthouse.

Local residents can vote early at the courthouse on weekdays and the two Saturdays before the election. And starting Oct. 27, they also will be able to vote at seven additional early voting sites that will be opened as part of the county’s recent switch to vote centers.

Jill Loveal of Franklin will be in France by Election Day. She thinks it’s important to stand up for women’s rights, something she can do by casting her ballot, and voted early to have a say in the election.

Loveal said she disagreed with some of the stances the Republican Party has regarding women.

“I’m waiting for the day when Indiana turns into a blue state,” she said. “I’m expressing my opinion.”

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